Americans Donated $358 Billion in 2014

In 2014, Americans had a charitable giving year by donating $358 billion.

According to CBS, donations are up nearly $47 billion from charitable donations given in 2007. The report is based on tax returns and other related data.

When people give donations, as the Examiner has stated, they give a vast amount of money. Wealthy individuals have single donations that collectively exceeded $200 million. Among the famous, Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda Gates, gave nearly $2 billion to the Gate Foundation.

The increase in charitable giving is a clear reflection on a stronger economy since coming out of the Great Recession. In a one-year span, the total donations have increased by 7.1 percent in 2013 to 2014. Reports have shown that Americans earning more than $200,000 gave to charities by 4.6 percent in between the years of 2006 and 2012.

Astonishingly, public radio stations have seen an increase in charitable giving as well. The popular public radio station, NPR, has seen a whopping increase from $2 million to $10 million within the last four years. NPR has taken a different approach to ask people for donations. The radio station convincingly shares with the audience the reason for giving. They tell people why the need of donations will make a difference.

Among the other organizations, foundation charitably giving has increase by $54 million. Out of all the donations, religious organizations receive the most.